Chapter 1: Prologue
World: Pandora
SWOOSH!
A large gust of wind swept through the fields of GreenVale Village.
The sun had long disappeared beneath the horizon, replaced by three luminous moons that painted the sky in soft silver hues. The faint glow of lanterns flickered along dirt roads as villagers began closing their stalls for the night.
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Down the narrow path raced a young boy no older than six. His feet pounded the dirt with practiced ease, dodging carts and people without missing a beat. Platinum-blonde hair fluttered wildly in the breeze, and his wide sky-blue eyes gleamed with joy.
"Hey, youngin'! Don't go trippin' again!" a vendor called from behind a stall loaded with monster meat, freshly hunted and still faintly steaming.
"I won't, Mr. Winther!" the boy shouted back, voice ringing with confidence as he darted around a corner.
After several turns, he stopped before a small cottage surrounded by a vibrant garden flowers of all colors swaying gently in the moonlight. The boy's face brightened even more.
"Mom! Dad!" he called, bounding toward the door.
Before his hand could touch the handle, the door swung open and there she was.
A woman stepped out, beautiful in a calm, effortless way. Silvery-blonde hair framed her gentle face, and her emerald eyes reflected warmth and power alike. She smiled as the boy launched himself into her arms.
"Did you have fun, Albedo?" she asked, kneeling to his level. A small sphere of water formed between her palms and splashed softly against his skin, washing away the dirt. A faint breeze followed, drying him instantly.
Albedo grinned. "Yes! Some Hunters came through the village again today. One of them was from the Demon Race he had horns and wings and everything! He even put on a fire show for us!"
"A Demon in GreenVale?" his mother mused, brow arching. "That's rare. They usually stay near their Kingdom."
A deep voice rumbled behind her. "He's right, those demons rarely mix with others."
Albedo turned and saw his father approaching a mountain of a man standing well over seven feet tall, a freshly slain boar slung casually over his shoulder. His hair was silver like moonlight, his eyes a mirror of Albedo's, and his arms bore scars from countless battles.
"I can't wait to awaken my magic," Albedo said eagerly. "If only I could start training now."
His mother chuckled and ruffled his hair. "You're still too young, my little flame. Your body isn't ready for pre-awakening training yet."
His father nodded. "When you turn ten, we'll start. Until then, enjoy these years. Run. Play. Dream."
Albedo pouted, but nodded all the same. Deep down, he knew they were right even if his heart still burned with impatience.
Every Hunter passing through GreenVale filled him with awe. Coming from Earth, a world without magic, everything here felt like a miracle. Floating lights, enchanted stones, mana beasts grazing in the distance things he had once only read about now walked the same soil as him.
Yes. Read about.
Because Albedo wasn't born here.
He remembered clearly the dull, grey world called Earth. His lonely apartment. His endless cycle of study and work. His friends who drifted away. The accident that took his family. The silence that followed.
His only solace had been stories novels, manhwas, games. Worlds where power could be earned, where pain had meaning, where heroes rose from despair.
His favorite of all had been Zephyr Academy: Onslaught of Champions.
A fantasy epic set in the world of Pandora a place with multiple races, mana-driven technology, and massive Dungeons that endlessly spawned monsters. Pandora also had Gates, portals to twisted sub-realities that spewed chaos into the world if not destroyed in time. And always looming beyond was the Abyss the corrupted dimension of darkness, seeking to devour everything.
When Albedo woke up here, under Pandora's triple moons, he realized it instantly. Somehow, he had been reborn into the world of his favorite novel.
It was like living a dream.
Except for one thing: there was no sign of a "cheat."
He had checked everything no mysterious jewelry, no glowing mark, no divine voice welcoming him with a System Interface. Nothing. Just… normal. But he wasn't discouraged. After all, in his first life, he had no magic either and still survived.
Maybe this time, he could do more.
"Hey!" his father called, snapping him from his thoughts. "Stop daydreaming. Dinner's ready."
The smell of warm stew filled the small wooden home. Inside, the walls were lined with memories portraits from his parents' adventuring days, old weapons mounted as decoration. Albedo ate quickly, fighting off sleep, until a yawn betrayed him.
"Alright, time for bed, little flame," his mother said, wiping his cheeks.
"Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Dad."
"Goodnight, son," his father said, voice softening. "Don't forget your sister."
Albedo nodded, climbing the stairs and stepping into the first room. Inside a small crib lay Gwendolyn, his baby sister, only a year old. Her chubby cheeks and golden curls made her look like a tiny angel.
"Night, Gwen."
She giggled as he kissed her forehead. Then he slipped into his room and collapsed into bed, snuggling under thick blankets.
The world was peaceful.
For now.
He fell asleep with a small smile.
Midnight.
The air was still. Then
RUMBLE.
The ground began to tremble softly, then violently. Albedo stirred, mumbling, "Ugh… what's happening?"
The shaking grew louder until it exploded.
BOOM!
A blast like thunder shattered his window, sending shards of glass raining across the room. The walls groaned and cracked. Books and shelves toppled with clattering crashes.
"What the heck!" Albedo shouted, tumbling from his bed. Pain flared as glass cut into his arms. He hissed, clutching his elbow.
He could smell smoke.
He stumbled toward the door, coughing. "Mom? Dad?! What's going on!?"
No answer. Only the sounds of chaos and then, faintly
"WAAAAAHH!"
Gwen.
Her cries cut through everything.
"Hang on!" Albedo shouted, sprinting down the hall. He kicked open her door and froze. The crib had collapsed under falling debris, and shards of glass glittered on the floor. Gwen lay there, wailing, her tiny arms trembling.
Ignoring the cuts on his feet, he ran in and scooped her up, wrapping her in his arms. "It's okay, it's okay, I've got you."
But the ground buckled beneath him.
CRACK. BOOM!
The floor split open, and Albedo screamed as both he and Gwen plummeted to the ground floor through the dining table, through glass and smoke and splinters.
"GRAAAH!" Pain tore through his back, but he held Gwen tighter.
The house was burning. The roof had collapsed. Fire spread across the walls like crawling serpents of light. He coughed violently, stumbling toward the exit.
When he finally burst through the door
The world was hell.
The sky burned red. The three moons were gone, swallowed by fire and smoke. The village GreenVale was gone. Buildings reduced to rubble. Blood smeared across the cobblestone paths. Limbs… everywhere.
Albedo retched at the sight. His stomach twisted.
Screams filled the night.
"HELP! PLEASE!"
"NO DON'T!"
And among the chaos, figures moved cloaked in darkness. Their presence was suffocating, their bodies dripping shadow. They wielded blades and spells that reeked of malice, cutting down villagers like wheat.
Albedo froze — until—
"Albedo!"
His mother appeared, rushing through the smoke. Her staff glowed faintly, eyes wide with panic. Behind her came his father, sword gleaming with raw mana.
They ran to him, pulling him behind the ruins of a wall.
"Mom! What's happening!?" he cried.
"No time," she said, her voice shaking but firm. She pulled a small necklace from her pocket silver, with a blue crystal pulsing faintly. "Take this. Inside is everything you'll need our legacy. It'll protect you."
"But I don't..."
"Albedo!" his father barked, kneeling before him, voice trembling with both fear and strength. "You must survive. You and Gwen. Do you hear me?"
Tears burned in Albedo's eyes. "But..."
"Run!" his mother cried, fastening the necklace around his neck. "Head to the forest! Don't look back!"
BOOM!
Another explosion rocked the street. The remnants of their house disintegrated into ash.
"GO!" they shouted together, pushing him forward.
He ran.
He ran with everything he had clutching Gwen, tears streaking his face. Her cries were silent now, muffled by the necklace's magic.
Behind him, he heard them his parents fighting.
The clash of steel. The roar of spells.
Then… silence.
Albedo's legs buckled. "No…"
He turned slightly and saw a figure approaching through the flames.
Cloaked in shadow. Eyes like endless voids. His skin was black marble, and in his hand spun a crimson orb of death.
The man raised his hand and Albedo knew.
He turned, shielding Gwen with his body.
CRACK!
Agony exploded in his arm. He screamed, collapsing. The figure stepped forward
And then, the heavens burned.
A blinding crimson flame descended from the sky, tearing reality apart. The attacker screamed disintegrating before Albedo's eyes. The fire washed over the ground, and Albedo felt it too warm, consuming, yet… protective.
It wrapped around him like invisible threads. The pain faded. The world rippled.
Then silence.
The fire consumed everything.
And when it vanished
So did Albedo.